Rack guide and pinion assembly



May 23, 1950 M. MEYERS RACK GUIDE AND PINION ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed June 8, 1949 INVENTOR Alana; Myers 15) A'ttprney May 23, 1950 M.MEYERS RACK GUIDE AND PINION ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 8,1949 IllIuIk I N VE N TOR Meyers fllorris Attorney Patented May 23, 1950RACK GUIDE AND PINION ASSEMBLY Morris Meyers, Chicago, 111., assignor ofone-half to Julius J. Ohlis, Oak Park, Ill.

Application June 8, 1949, Serial No. 97,795

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a rack guide and pinion assembly and has forits object to provide an assembly which is practical, can be readilymanufactured, and which can be produced at a minimum cost.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an assemblywherein the pinion comprises a series of ircularly spaced tubularrollers for rolling engagement with the teeth of a rack.

Another object of the invention resides in a bearing for the pinion,said bearing comprising two parallel plates in superposed spacedrelation, with a circular opening in each plate, said openingsregistrable with each other, and the surfaces of said openingsconstituting raceways for, and hence adapted to be engaged in more orless constant contact by, the series of rollers constituting the pinion.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a pair offace plates, each adapted to substantially contact the outer surface ofa bearing plate and to overlie the circular opening therein, said faceplates having disposed therebetween said series of rollers which arecarried by and positioned between the face plates through theinstrumentality of pintles or rivets in such manner as to permitrotation of said rollers thereon.

And yet another object of the invention is to form the bearing plates sothat they are maintained in parallel spaced relation to accommodate therack and a pair of pressure rollers which latter maintain the rack insuch position that its teeth will engage at all times the series oftubular rollers constituting the pinion.

With these and other objects in view the invention resides in the noveldetails of construction and combinations of parts as will be disclosedmore fully hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming in part of thisspecification and illustrating two forms of construction, and in whichlike numerals designate like parts in all the views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of one form of construction embodyingthis invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken as on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken as on the line 33 of Fig. 1and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken as on the line 44 of Fig. 5and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of another form of constructionembodying this invention, with one face plate removed to betterillustrate the arrangement and mounting of the tubular rollersconstituting the pinion;

Fig. 6 is a detail view partly in section and partly in elevationillustrating the positions of two tubular rollers and the relation ofone of them to the teeth of the rack; and

Fig. 7 is a detailed sectional view with parts in separated positions tobetter illustrate the assembly relationship of a rack tooth, bearingplate, tubular roller, pintle for the tubular roller, and a supportingface plate.

Referring to the drawings the numerals 2 and 3 indicate a pair ofbearing plates disposed in parallel spaced relation and secured togetherin their upper regions as by the rivets 4, said rivets preferably beingpassed through dished portions of said plates as especially shown inFigs. 1 and 3, said dished portions being directed inwardly of thecomplete assembly and having a substantial area thereof in contact witheach other for imparting rigidity and permitting the use of short rivetsas should be readily understood from the drawings. The bottom edge ofeach plate preferably is flanged or tuned inwardly, at substantially aright angle to the plane of the plate, a distance equal approximately toone-half of the parallel spacing of said plates wherefore, since saidplates are duplicates of each other, this parallelism of the plates willbe maintained by the riveted securement at the top and the substantiallyabutting relationship of the flanges or inturned edges at the bottom asindicated at 5 in Figs. 2 and 4.

A rack bar is indicated at H] With teeth H formed on its lowermost edge,the upper edge being straight and parallel to the center of said teeth,said bar adapted to have relative longitudinal movement in the spacecreated by the parallel bearing plates 2 and 3. A pair of pressurerollers 12 and I3 are carried by and between said plates in their upperportions and operate upon the upper straight edge of said rack bar toposition said bar in a direction transversely thereof. One end of saidbar may be provided with a hole I4 or other suitable means forconnection with any instrumentality by which relative movement may beimparted by or to said bar.

A circular opening 20 is provided in the lower portion of each of thebearing plates, said openings being duplicates of each other and inregistry with each other, the surface of, each'opening constituting araceway for the tubular rollers generally identified by the numeral 2|and forming the pinion.

The pinion comprises a plurality of these tubular rollers arrangedcircularly in spaced relation to each other, the spacing being inaccordance with the spacing and/or pitch of the teeth I I of the rackbar [0. Each tubular roller is freely mounted 1113011 a jpintle or rivetsuch as 22 the opposite "ends of which are headed for securement uponthe outer surface of a pair of face plates 23 and 24 overlying theopenings such as 20 of the bearing plates 2 and 3. Preferably-theinvention wherefore it is desired not to be limited to the exactforegoing disclosure except as may be required by the claims.

What is claimed is: p

,1. A rack guide and pinion assembly comprising a pair of parallelbearing plates, a rack disposed between and guided by saidbearingplates, and a pinion having enmeshment with said rack wherebymovement may be imparted relatively between said rack and said pinion,said pinion comprising opposed face plates and a circular series oftubular rollers mounted therebetween ior rolling engagement with theteeth of said ends of each pintle are reduced in diameter to I provideshoulders for maintaining the face plates in parallel spaced relation.In practice these face plates preferably will beyzround diskssubstantially in surface contact with the outer face of a bearing plate,and each tubular roller will be of an axial length such that its endswill just clear contact with the inner faces of said disks, though'inthe drawings these members havebeen illustrated'in spacedrelationdor aclearer understanding of their :individua'l'construction and as sembly.Each face plate or'rdisk is provided with a-cen'tral opening 25 (of:hexagonal formation as illustrated) for the accommodation of acorrespon'dingly formed shaft 126 by which rotary motion is imparted toor by the pinion. This ipin'io'n is so positioned in the bearing platesas to be in'fulloperative engagement with the teeth of the rack bar, tothe end that 'anytransverse vniovement of-s'aid bar will be limitedrespectively by the pressure rollers i2 and i3: above said bar,

and bysaidpinion below said .bar, andsaid pin- 2" ion addition allypositioned at aipoint substantiallymidway between and beneath saidpressure rollers.

The construction illustrated in Figs. 4,5, Band H 'difYersJfrom theforegoing substantially only .in

the provision-of a T-shaped rack'bardll ,and bearing plates 2 and 3having lateral extensions '31 "and 32 respectively for accommodating thehead ofthe'T-shaped rack bar.

This invention may be utilized in variousrmanners, 'it having particularuse in skylight-and greenhouse structures wherein certain'portions ofsaid structures :are intended to be hingedly %moved with respect toother portions :of said %structures as "for ventilation purposes.sspecifically and by way of example, a rotatable (shaft such as 2-6 maybe mounted in suitable tfixed -bearings and provided with hexagonal (orother polygonal portions :fitting the complementally fo'rme'd(hexagonal) -:openings 25 in. a :plurality of pinions mounted in thebearing plates "of saidparticular assembly, with a rack such aslJlm'ounted between saidiplates, which rack is adapted 'to beoperativelyl connected to 'the :mov- -able' portion-or section'of a1skylight- :or, greenhouse :roof. F When the shaft is rotated, thepinions will -cause :reciprocatory movement of their associ- ;:atedracks with resultant opening 01" closing ;movementto thehinged portionof the skylight,

: the pressurerollers l2, I3'insuring constant.en-'

=meshment of a rack: with its cooperating pinion. Jt-isconceivable thatin someinstallations there may be desired or.required areversal of theabove mentioned action, but the arrangement herein described anddisclosed is capable, within under- :sta'ndable' limits, or givingrotation-to a shaft by freciprocation of a rack.

' lt is "obvious*that-those skilled in the art-may varythe*detailsofconstruction=and-arrangements ofparts withoutdeparting fromthe'spirit 'of this More --suriaces of which constitute raceways forsaid :roller-s, said face plates overlying said circular openingswhereby to maintain said rollers in said raceways.

2. A rack guide and pinion assembly compris ing two separate parallel-1ymounted bearing plated arack disposed between and guided by said-bearingplates, and a pinion having enmeshment w-ith-- said,lrack wherebymovement may be imparted relatively between said rack and said pinion,said pin-ion comprising opposed face plates and a circular series oftubular rollers mounted therebetween for rolling engagement with thexteeth of said rack, saidbearing plates rigidly secured together to oneside of said rack but separately associated to the other side of saidrack; said, bearing plateshaving a. pair of oppositely disposedregistering circular openings the surfacesnf which constitute racewaysfor said :rollers saidlvface plates overlying said circular openingswhereby to prevent outward separation Qf saidbearingplateS and therebyto maintain said rollers in said raceways.

3. A rack guide and pinion assembly -,comprisg-ing two separate bearingplates rigidly secured rinspaced relation to each other at their upperedge portions, the'lower edge portions of said plates hav-ing.independent inwardly directed plate spacing means, ,a rack disposedbetween k and'gnided by said bearing plates, and ,apinionhavingenmeshment with said rack whereby .movement may-beimpartedrelatively between said rack and said pinion, said pinioncomprising goposed v i-ace plates and ,a circular series of tubularrollers mounted therebetween for rolling engagement. withathe teeth ofsaid rack, said bearingplates adjacent their lower .edgeportions havinga pair-of oppositely disposed registering ecireularppeningsrthe surfacesof which constitute raceways fort-said. rollers, said face platesoverlyingv said; circular openings wherby to prevent outward separationof the spaced bearing plates and thereby to maintain said rollers inrsaidraceways. v

4. A rack guide and pinion assembly comprising two separatebearingplates rigidly secured in spaced relation toeach other at their upperedge portions, .;the lower edge portions of said plates being inturne dto provide flanges disposed in --edgerabut ingrelation to each other andlimiting the inward extent of the spaced, plates, .a rack disposedbetween and guided by said bearing plates, and. apinion having:enmeshment with said rack whereby movement may be imparted relativelybetween said rack and said pinion, said pinion comprising opposediaceplates and a circular series of tubularrollersmounted'therebetweengfor rolling engagement with the teeth "of:said rack,-.-said bearing plates adjacent their .75 lower edge portionshaving a ,pair :of oppositely 5 disposed registering circular openingsthe surfaces of which constitute raceways for said rollers, said faceplates overlying said circular openings whereby to prevent outwardseparation of the spaced bearing plates and thereby to maintain saidrollers in said raceways.

5. A rack guide and pinion assembly comprising a pair of parallelbearing plates, a rack disposed between and guided by said bearingplates, and a pinion having enmeshment with said rack whereby movementmay be imparted relatively between said rack and said pinion, saidpinion comprising opposed face plates and a circular series of tubularrollers mounted therebetween for rolling engagement with the teeth ofsaid rack, said bearing plates having a pair of oppositely disposedregistering circular openings the surfaces of which constitute racewaysfor said rollers, said face plates havin similarly formed andregistering central apertures complementally cooperative with a powershaft, said face plates overlying said circular openings whereby tomaintain said rollers in said raceways.

6. A rack guide and pinion assembly comprising a pair of parallelbearing plates, a rack disposed between and guided by said bearingplates, and a pinion having enmeshment vwith said rack 6 wherebymovement may be imparted relatively between said rack and said pinion,said pinion comprising opposed face plates and a circular series oftubular rollers mounted therebetween for rolling engagement with theteeth of said rack, said bearing plates having a pair of oppositelydisposed registering circular openings the surfaces of which constituteraceways for said rollers, said face plates having similar andregistering central apertures of substantially polygonal formationcomplementally cooperative with a power shaft, said face platesoverlying said circular openings whereby to maintain said rollers insaid raceways.

MORRIS MEYERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,109,928 Jones Sept. 8, 19141,176,933 Souvielle Mar. 28, 1916 1,223,754 Berles Apr. 24, 19171,338,671 Burnham May 4, 1920 1,473,907 Hettrich Nov. 13, 1923 1,529,642Callahan Mar. 10, 1925

